It Hurts
by MintLeafeon
Summary: We really have to talk. It's about those two. What if they could be happier? Should we stop them? Or should we let them have their happiness? We found out what they wanted… It hurts, but it'll be okay… won't it?


**A/N:** There is a poll on my profile that I would like some people to answer just in case I manage to find some time to work on my fanfiction while school is going on.

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**Title: **It Hurts…

**Summary:** We really have to talk. It's about those two. What if they could be happier? Should we stop them? Or should we let them have their happiness? We found out what they wanted… It hurts, but it'll be okay… won't it?

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Prince of Tennis. The anime and its canon characters belong to their rightful owners.

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"Happy Valentine's Day," Ryoma chuckled, seeing his three boyfriends in front of his house again. "Come in already," he said, opening the door further and pulling the three males in by the wrist.

"Hello Ryo-chan," Fuji chuckled, giving the boy a light peck on the cheek. "Anything planned for today?"

"Not really. I just made something for you all."

"Oh?" Sanada questioned, taking off his shoes at the entrance and stepping into the house.

"Come on, it's in the kitchen," Ryoma said, already turning and rushing off to said room.

"What do you think it is, Mitsu?" Fuji questioned, giggling at the younger's actions. "It must be good to get him this happy about it."

Tezuka shrugged in response. "With Ryoma, you never know what's going on until the very last second."

"Hurry up!" they all heard from the kitchen, a few thumps heard on the ground. Was he tapping his foot or something? Probably…

"We're coming, we're coming," Tezuka chuckled, leading the small group of three into the kitchen where they saw trays laid over the counters. "Ryoma? What is all of this?"

"Do you like it?" Ryoma questioned, leaning back against the counter. "Took me a while in order to get everything right and to make this many trays."

"Who taught you how to make it?" Sanada questioned, picking up one of the objects on the closest tray and turning it in his fingers.

"Marui-senpai," Ryoma answered, picking up one the chocolates on the tray. "Well. Go on. Try one," he said, popping the chocolate into his mouth to chew on.

The three older males shrugged before each taking a chocolate and popping it in their mouths to eat it.

"Not bad," Tezuka commented, smiling lightly as he licked the chocolate stains off his lips.

"It's really sweet Ryo-chan," Fuji smiled, kissing the younger male on the cheek.

"Gen-kun?"

Sanada smiled, patting Ryoma on the head and earning a pout from the shorter male.

"Hey, what was that for?" Ryoma chuckled, lightly tapping Sanada's hand away. "Do you like the chocolate or not?"

"I do Ryoma. It's good," Sanada finally answered, making Ryoma sigh out in relief.

"Good because I had no clue whether I was making it right or not. I taste-tested everything, but I'm not a big fan of chocolate," he admitted.

"And you made chocolate anyway?"

"It's Valentine's Day," Ryoma pouted, crossing his arms over his chest. "I wanted to make something special," he muttered under his breath.

"Ah, don't pout," Fuji chuckled, taking Ryoma's chin in his fingers and lifting the younger's head up. "You look cute when you pout," Fuji chuckled, placing their foreheads together and kissing the pout off of Ryoma's lips.

"You made it disappear anyway, so I don't see why you're complaining," Ryoma chuckled, lightly pushing Fuji away from him. "Come on. I made three tray's worth of chocolates."

"Why so many?"

"For the others of course," Ryoma answered, holding up his hands and counting on his fingers. "There was Hanako, Ryoga, then Mitsu's parents, Syuu's parents, Gen's parents, our former teammates and local rivals, and-"

"That's a lot of people Ryo-chan," Fuji stopped the boy, sweatdropping at the amount of people Ryoma had made chocolate for. "Again, why did you make so many?"

"Because they're all important to me, duh," Ryoma said, as if stating the obvious. "I've already sent cards out to my own parents and relatives and got Karupin a new cat toy," Ryoma added, pointing a hand down toward the ground.

The other three in the room looked to see the Himalayan cat messing with a feathered toy and whacking it around with her paws next to her food bowls.

"So where's Ryoga?"

"Oh him," Ryoma said, as if finally remembering his step-brother. "I gave him two portions of chocolate, one for him and one for Hanako, and sent him off on a 'date'," cue the finger quotes from Ryoma, "in order to stop him from bothering everyone today."

"I was wondering where he was. I was thinking that considering today was Valentine's Day, he would be trying even harder to test us," Sanada mused, nodding his head slightly as he thought about how Ryoma handled his older brother.

"They're starting to get closer aren't they?" Fuji chuckled, remembering the several times where Hanako had pretty much saved them from an protective older brother and dragged Ryoga along to whatever she had planned for the rest of that day. "Do you think the two will start dating?"

"If they are, then I'm going to get a pretty good sister-in-law," Ryoma chuckled, not really minding the idea.

"You wouldn't mind at all?"

"Hanako's great if you haven't noticed, especially with us," Ryoma answered, pointing a finger at himself and then his boyfriends. "Without her, I don't know what would have happened with Sanada or with Ryoga, or even with all the parties to still keep together with everyone from middle school."

"True," Tezuka agreed with a small smile on his face. "I wouldn't mind her being around more often than she is."

"Like that's even possible," Fuji joked, earning laughs from each of the males in the room.

"Why don't we go watch a movie in the living room?" Ryoma suggested. "I've got a few DVDs in there and there's some snack food already set out. We can just spend today watching them if you want."

"Sure, why not," Fuji agreed, already pulling Sanada out to the designated movie room.

Just as Tezuka was about to walk out, Ryoma reached and grabbed his elbow, pulling the older male back to him.

"Ryoma?"

Ryoma put a finger against his lips, asking Tezuka to be silent before gesturing in the opposite direction of the door, toward the opposite hallway that led to the stairs.

Not really knowing what Ryoma wanted, Tezuka agreed and nodded anyway to show that he understood.

Smiling at the other male, Ryoma gripped his hand gently and led him up the stairs until they were at the top, hopefully out of earshot of the two males now in the living room.

"Ryoma? Is something the matter?"

Ryoma was silent for a few seconds, pondering how to say what was going on in his mind. Deciding to just deal with it like usual and say it bluntly, he answered, "It's Yukimura and Atobe."

Tezuka blinked, knowing that the four boyfriends had noticed the two's affections for Fuji and Sanada.

"What about them?" Tezuka questioned, knowing that if Ryoma brought it up, something was going to happen to the dynamics of the relationship between them all, just like with Fuji and just like with Sanada in the past two years…

"Do you… do you think they would be happier?"

"Ryoma, what are you talking about?" Tezuka questioned, narrowing his eyes in confusion. Ryoma, considering how blunt he was about his first answer, was being awfully vague about explaining his thoughts now.

"Do you think that… do you think that Syuusuke and Genichirou would be happier if they were with Atobe and Yukimura?" Ryoma said, looking up at Tezuka with a confused expression on his face.

"Ryoma…"

To be completely honest, that same question had run through Tezuka's own mind several times ever since Ryoga and Hanako had helped them determine the two former rivals' feelings for the Tensai and the former Rikkaidai captain.

"I mean, those two are definitely genuine in their emotions for Syuu and Gen…" Ryoma added, trailing off at the end. "I mean, I love them too, don't get me wrong. But…"

"You want to make them the happiest they can be… don't you?" Tezuka asked, eyes softening as he looked at his fiancé. Hmm… it's been a while since he had called Ryoma that title in his mind considering they had two other boyfriends…

"You know I love them, but-"

"If they can be happier with someone else, you'd rather them be happier than stay with you," Tezuka concluded, smiling gently at the younger. "For such a snarky brat in middle school… you sure know how to love someone," Tezuka ended with a soft look in his eyes as he leaned down to kiss Ryoma on the lips.

"What do we do? Mitsu?"

"I don't know whether they would be happier with Yukimura or Atobe either. They could be, but I'm not sure."

"Should we ask them?"

"What do you mean?"

"Maybe… maybe we could let them choose, yeah?" Ryoma suggested, eyes darting back and forth as he tried to come up with a way for them all to be happy.

"As in?"

"Ask them whether they want to be with Yukimura and Atobe instead of us," Ryoma said, although Tezuka could hear the pain laced deep within that suggestion.

Tezuka could understand where Ryoma was coming from though. If Fuji or Sanada were holding back in their happiness, he'd rather they stop it and just go. He did love the two after all. If the two males were happier with Yukimura and Atobe… well, it would hurt, but he would let the two be happy.

Taking the younger's hands into his own hands, Tezuka got Ryoma to look at him once again. "Let's just go ahead and talk to those two. We won't get anything dealt with if we just stand around like this."

Ryoma nodded in agreement, his hands slightly shaking in Tezuka's as the older led him down the stairs and into the living room, only to see that Fuji and Sanada were not even five minutes into the first movie they had chosen to watch.

"We were wondering when you two were going to show up," Fuji said, a wide grin on his face.

"We… we really need to talk to you…" Ryoma practically stuttered, his figure trembling at what he and Tezuka were about to ask.

"Oh?" Fuji said, straightening up in his seat along with Sanada, faces turning into a more worried expression than before.

"You know how Yukimura and Atobe are… interested in you?" Ryoma started off hesitantly, feeling Tezuka gently squeeze his hand for reassurance.

"Yes," Fuji said, sharing a look with Sanada.

"Do you… do you think you would be happier with them?" Ryoma rambled off quickly, uncomfortable with even suggesting it.

"Ryo-chan?"

"Where is this coming from?"

"You don't need to hold back your own happiness for our sake if you feel like you would be happier with those two," Tezuka continued for Ryoma, glancing worriedly at the younger as he could practically see the younger male trembling in his spot.

"Well… I don't know," Fuji admitted, glancing at the floor. "I mean. I do love the three of you. But with high school and Gen-kun being in a whole other district entirely… it feels as if we're trying to spread ourselves a bit thinly in order to make sure everything works out…"

"And you Genichirou?"

"Well…"

"Be honest Gen-kun. Please," Ryoma said, noticing how Sanada seemed to be hesitant with what he was thinking.

"To be completely honest, it is a bit of a hassle to continue moving back and forth between Kanagawa and Tokyo in order to go to school there and come here to spend time with you. It's quite a long trip, and it happens daily…"

"We see…"

"Don't get us wrong, we do love you, it's just…"

"The entire relationship is starting to pull you into further trouble than you first thought?"

Everyone was silent until Fuji and Sanada finally admitted 'yes' with a nod of their heads.

"Well… uh…" Ryoma swallowed harshly, biting his lower lip between his teeth. "If you think you would be happier and less troubled without dating us… maybe… maybe you can take some time to be alone…"

"Ryo-chan, are you saying-"

"No!" Ryoma interrupted, knowing what Fuji was going to ask. "Of course I still love you, you two idiots… I love you too much…" he admitted, staring at the ground. "I just want you to be happy… and if that means you are with someone else who can do that… then… I… I won't mind…"

"And you? Kunimitsu?"

"The same goes for me. We will both be hurt, but we'd rather take it than keep you from your happiness…"

"I see," Fuji and Sanada both muttered under their breath.

"Then… I guess… It's goodbye?" Fuji questioned, looking at Ryoma and Tezuka with teary eyes.

"I guess," Ryoma said, biting his lower lip even further, tears gathering at the edge of his eyes.

"Oh Ryo-chan," Fuji cooed, standing up and immediately heading over to kiss Ryoma's tears away from his eyes. "Ryo-chan, never forget that I do love you, okay?"

Ryoma nodded, closing his eyes shut as he shook even further from the emotions boiling up in his heart.

Fuji and Sanada looked sad as they both gave Tezuka and Ryoma kisses on the lips before going to head out the door. "Happy Valentine's…" the two trailed off, glancing over their shoulders one last time before exiting the household.

A few minutes after the door shut, when the two were most likely out of earshot of the house, Ryoma broke down.

Falling to his knees and accidently pulling Tezuka down with him, the young male started to bawl, mouth opened in a wail as sobs wracked his frame, tears flooding down his cheeks.

Tezuka wrapped the younger boy in his arms, silent tears also making their way down his face.

"It hurts," Ryoma whimpered, burying his face into Tezuka's shirt as he felt Tezuka nod his head in agreement.

"I know it does Ryoma… I know it does… It'll be okay… It'll be okay…"

That was the only thing he could say, even if he didn't believe it to be true…


End file.
